COM 101_Communication Self-Assessment
4 /1 1 /2 017 H ow G ood A re Y our C om munic atio n S kills ? fr o m M in dT ools .c om h ttp s://w ww.m in dto ols .c om /p ages/a rtic le /n ew CS_99.h tm 1 /9 G et t h e F re e N ew sle tte r B y t h e M in d T ools E d it o ria l T eam H ow G ood A re Y ou r C om munic a tio n S kills ?
S peakin g , L is te n in g , W rit in g , a n d R ead in g E ffe ctiv e ly C om munic a tio n s k ills a re s o m e o f t h e m ost im porta n t s k ills t h at y o u n e ed t o s u cce ed in t h e w ork p la ce .
I f y o u w an t t o b e a n e xp ert c o m munic a to r, y o u n e ed t o b e e ffe ctiv e a t a ll p oin ts in t h e c o m munic a tio n p ro ce ss – f r o m " s e nd er" t h ro ug h t o " re ce iv e r" – a n d y o u m ust b e c o m fo rta b le w it h t h e d if fe re nt c h an ne ls o f c o m m unic a tio n – f a ce t o f a ce , v o ic e t o v o ic e , w rit te n, a n d s o o n.
P oor c o m munic a to rs u su ally s tr u g g le t o d eve lo p t h e ir c a re ers b eyo nd a c e rta in p oin t.
S o, a re y o u c o m munic a tin g e ffe ctiv e ly ? T ake t h is s h o rt q uiz t o f in d o ut.
T he C om munic a tio n Q uiz © iS to ck p hoto s k yn esh er 4 /1 1 /2 017 H ow G ood A re Y our C om munic atio n S kills ? fr o m M in dT ools .c om h ttp s://w ww.m in dto ols .c om /p ages/a rtic le /n ew CS_99.h tm 2 /9 I n str u ctio n s F o r e ach s ta te m ent, c lic k t h e b utto n in t h e c o lu m n t h at b est d esc rib es y o u. P le ase a n sw er q ue stio ns a s y o u a ctu ally a re (r a th e r t h an h o w y o u t h in k y o u s h o uld b e), a n d d on't w orry if s o m e q ue stio ns s e em t o s c o re in t h e 'w ro ng d ir e ctio n'. W he n y o u a re f in is h e d , p le ase c lic k t h e ' C alc u la te M y T o ta l' b utto n a t t h e b otto m o f t h e t e st.
1 5 S ta te m en ts t o A nsw er N ot a t A ll R are ly S om e- t im es O ft e n V ery O ft e n I t r y t o a n tic ip ate a n d p re d ic t p ossib le c a u se s o f c o nfu sio n, a n d I d eal w it h t h e m u p f r o nt. 1 W he n I w rit e a m em o, e m ail, o r o th e r d ocu m ent, I g iv e a ll o f t h e b ack g ro und in fo rm atio n a n d d eta il I c a n t o m ake s u re t h at m y m essa g e is u nd ers to od . 2 I f I d on't u nd ers ta n d s o m eth in g , I t e nd t o k e ep t h is t o m yse lf a n d f ig ure it o ut la te r. 3 I 'm s u rp ris e d t o f in d t h at p eo ple h ave n't u nd ers to od w hat I'v e s a id . 4 I c a n t e nd t o s a y w hat I t h in k, w it h o ut w orry in g a b out h o w t h e o th e r p ers o n p erc e iv e s it . I a ssu m e t h at w e'l l b e a b le t o w ork it o ut la te r. 5 W he n p eo ple t a lk t o m e, I t r y t o s e e t h e ir p ers p ectiv e s. 6 I u se e m ail t o c o m munic a te c o m ple x is su e s w it h p eo ple . It 's q uic k a n d e ffic ie nt. 7 W he n I f in is h w rit in g a r e p ort, m em o, o r e m ail, I s c a n it q uic k ly f o r t y p os a n d s o f o rth , a n d t h e n s e nd it o ff r ig ht a w ay. 8 W he n t a lk in g t o p eo ple , I p ay a tte ntio n t o t h e ir b od y l a n g uag e. 9 I u se d ia g ra m s a n d c h arts t o h e lp e xp re ss m y id eas. 1 0 B efo re I c o m munic a te , I t h in k a b out w hat t h e p ers o n n e ed s t o k n o w , a n d h o w b est t o c o nve y it . 1 1 W he n s o m eo ne 's t a lk in g t o m e, I t h in k a b out w hat I'm g oin g t o s a y n e xt t o m ake s u re I g et m y p oin t a cro ss c o rre ctly . 1 2 4 /1 1 /2 017 H ow G ood A re Y our C om munic atio n S kills ? fr o m M in dT ools .c om h ttp s://w ww.m in dto ols .c om /p ages/a rtic le /n ew CS_99.h tm 3 /9 C alc u la te M y T ota l T ota l = 5 3 1 5 S ta te m en ts t o A nsw er N ot a t A ll R are ly S om e- t im es O ft e n V ery O ft e n S co re I n te rp re ta tio n S co re C om men t 1 5 -3 5 Y ou n e ed t o k e ep w ork in g o n y o ur c o m munic a tio n s k ills . Y ou a re n o t e xp re ssin g y o urs e lf c le arly , a n d y o u m ay n o t b e r e ce iv in g m essa g es c o rre ctly e it h e r. T he g ood n e w s is t h at, b y p ayin g a tte ntio n t o c o m munic a tio n, y o u c a n b e m uch m ore e ff e ctiv e a t w ork , a n d e njo y m uch b ette r w ork in g r e la tio nsh ip s! T he r e st o f t h is a rtic le w ill d ir e ct y o u t o s o m e g re at t o ols f o r im pro vin g y o ur c o m munic a tio n s k ills . (R ead b elo w t o s ta rt.) 3 6 - 5 5 Y ou'r e a c a p ab le c o m munic a to r, b ut y o u s o m etim es e xp erie nce c o m munic a tio n p ro b le m s. T ake t h e t im e t o t h in k a b out y o ur a p pro ach t o c o m munic a tio n, a n d f o cu s o n r e ce iv in g m essa g es e ffe ctiv e ly , a s m uch a s s e nd in g t h e m . T his w ill h e lp y o u im pro ve . (R ead b elo w t o s ta rt.) 5 6 -7 5 E xc e lle nt! Y ou u nd ers ta n d y o ur r o le a s a c o m munic a to r, b oth w he n y o u s e nd m essa g es, a n d w he n y o u r e ce iv e t h e m . Y ou a n tic ip ate p ro b le m s, a n d y o u c h o ose t h e r ig ht w ays o f c o m munic a tin g . P eo ple r e sp ect y o u f o r y o ur a b ilit y t o c o m munic a te c le arly , a n d t h e y a p pre cia te y o ur lis te nin g s k ills . (R ead b elo w f o r m ore .) B efo re I s e nd a m essa g e, I t h in k a b out t h e b est w ay t o c o m munic a te it (in p ers o n, o ve r t h e p ho ne , in a n e w sle tte r, v ia m em o, a n d s o o n). 1 3 I t r y t o h e lp p eo ple u nd ers ta n d t h e u nd erly in g c o nce p ts b ehin d t h e p oin t I a m d is c u ssin g . T his r e d uce s m is c o nce p tio ns a n d in cre ase s u nd ers ta n d in g . 1 4 I c o nsid er c u lt u ra l b arrie rs w he n p la n n in g m y c o m munic a tio ns. 1 5 4 /1 1 /2 017 H ow G ood A re Y our C om munic atio n S kills ? fr o m M in dT ools .c om h ttp s://w ww.m in dto ols .c om /p ages/a rtic le /n ew CS_99.h tm 4 /9 D eta ile d I n te rp re ta tio n W he ne ve r y o u c o m munic a te w it h s o m eo ne e ls e , y o u e ach f o llo w t h e s te p s o f t h e c o m munic a tio n p ro ce ss s h o w n b elo w .
H ere , t h e p ers o n w ho is t h e s o urc e o f t h e c o m munic a tio n e nco d es it in to a m essa g e, a n d t r a n sm it s it t h ro ug h a c h an ne l. T he r e ce iv e r d eco d es t h e m essa g e, a n d , in o ne w ay o r a n o th e r, f e ed s b ack u nd ers ta n d in g o r a la ck o f u nd ers ta n d in g t o t h e s o urc e .
B y u nd ers ta n d in g t h e s te p s in t h e p ro ce ss, y o u c a n b eco m e m ore a w are o f y o ur r o le in it , r e co g niz e w hat y o u n e ed t o d o t o c o m munic a te e ffe ctiv e ly , a n tic ip ate p ro b le m s b efo re t h e y h ap pen, a n d im pro ve y o ur o ve ra ll a b ilit y t o c o m munic a te e ffe ctiv e ly .
T he s e ctio ns b elo w h e lp y o u d o t h is , a n d h e lp y o u im pro ve t h e w ay y o u c o m munic a te a t e ach s ta g e o f t h e p ro ce ss.
T he S ou rc e – P la n nin g Y ou r M essa g e ( Q ue stio ns 2 , 1 1) Y our s c o re is 6 o ut o f 1 0 B efo re y o u s ta rt c o m munic a tin g , t a ke a m om ent t o f ig ure o ut w hat y o u w an t t o s a y, a n d w hy.
D on't w aste y o ur t im e c o nve yin g in fo rm atio n t h at is n 't n e ce ssa ry – a n d d on't w aste t h e lis te ne r o r r e ad er's t im e e it h e r. T o o o ft e n, p eo ple ju st k e ep t a lk in g o r k e ep w rit in g – b eca u se t h e y t h in k t h at b y s a yin g m ore , t h e y'l l s u re ly c o ve r a ll t h e p oin ts . O ft e n, h o w eve r, a ll t h e y d o is c o nfu se t h e p eo ple t h e y'r e t a lk in g t o .
T o p la n y o u r c o m munic a tio n : U nd ers ta n d y o ur o b je ctiv e . W hy a re y o u c o m munic a tin g ?
U nd ers ta n d y o ur a u d ie nce . W it h w ho m a re y o u c o m munic a tin g ? W hat d o t h e y n e ed t o k n o w ? 4 /1 1 /2 017 H ow G ood A re Y our C om munic atio n S kills ? fr o m M in dT ools .c om h ttp s://w ww.m in dto ols .c om /p ages/a rtic le /n ew CS_99.h tm 5 /9 P la n w hat y o u w an t t o s a y, a n d h o w y o u'l l s e nd t h e m essa g e.
S eek f e ed back o n h o w w ell y o ur m essa g e w as r e ce iv e d . W he n y o u d o t h is , y o u'l l b e a b le t o c ra ft a m essa g e t h at w ill b e r e ce iv e d p osit iv e ly b y y o ur a u d ie nce .
G ood c o m munic a to rs u se t h e K IS S (" K eep It S im ple a n d S tr a ig htfo rw ard ") p rin cip le . T he y k n o w t h at le ss is o ft e n m ore , a n d t h at g ood c o m munic a tio n s h o uld b e e ffic ie nt a s w ell a s e ffe ctiv e .
E nco d in g – C re atin g a C le ar, W ell- C ra ft e d M essa g e ( Q ue stio ns 1 , 5 , 8 , 1 0 , 1 5 ) Y our s c o re is 1 7 o ut o f 2 5 W he n y o u k n o w w hat y o u w an t t o s a y, d ecid e e xa ctly h o w y o u'l l s a y it . Y ou'r e r e sp onsib le f o r s e nd in g a m essa g e t h at's c le ar a n d c o ncis e . T o a ch ie ve t h is , y o u n e ed t o c o nsid er n o t o nly w hat y o u'l l s a y, b ut a ls o h o w y o u t h in k t h e r e cip ie nt w ill p erc e iv e it .
W e o ft e n f o cu s o n t h e m essa g e t h at w e w an t t o s e nd , a n d t h e w ay in w hic h w e'l l s e nd it . B ut if o ur m essa g e is d eliv e re d w it h o ut c o nsid erin g t h e o th e r p ers o n's p ers p ectiv e , it 's lik e ly t h at p art o f t h at m essa g e w ill b e lo st. T o c o m munic a te m ore e ffe ctiv e ly : U nd ers ta n d w hat y o u t r u ly n e ed a n d w an t t o s a y.
A ntic ip ate t h e o th e r p ers o n's r e actio n t o y o ur m essa g e.
C ho ose w ord s a n d b od y la n g uag e t h at a llo w t h e o th e r p ers o n t o r e ally h e ar w hat y o u'r e s a yin g . W it h w rit te n c o m munic a tio n , m ake s u re t h at w hat y o u w rit e w ill b e p erc e iv e d t h e w ay y o u i n te nd . W ord s o n a p ag e g ene ra lly h ave n o e m otio n – t h e y d on't " s m ile " o r " fr o w n" a t y o u w hile y o u'r e r e ad in g t h e m (u nle ss y o u'r e a v e ry t a le nte d w rit e r, o f c o urs e !) W he n w rit in g , t a ke t im e t o d o t h e f o llo w in g : R evie w y o ur s ty le .
A vo id j a rg on o r s la n g . C he ck y o ur g ra m mar a n d p unctu atio n.
C he ck a ls o f o r t o ne , a ttit u d e, n uan ce , a n d o th e r s u b tle tie s. If y o u t h in k t h e m essa g e m ay b e m is u nd ers to od , it p ro b ab ly w ill. T ake t h e t im e t o c la rif y it ! 4 /1 1 /2 017 H ow G ood A re Y our C om munic atio n S kills ? fr o m M in dT ools .c om h ttp s://w ww.m in dto ols .c om /p ages/a rtic le /n ew CS_99.h tm 6 /9 F am ilia riz e y o urs e lf w it h y o ur c o m pan y's w rit in g p olic ie s. A no th e r im porta n t c o nsid era tio n is t o u se p ic tu re s, c h arts , a n d d ia g ra m s w he re ve r p ossib le . A s t h e s a yin g g oes, " a p ic tu re s p eaks a t h o usa n d w ord s." O ur a rtic le o n c h arts a n d g ra p hs h as s o m e g re at t ip s t h at h e lp y o u t o u se t h e se t o c o m munic a te c le arly .
A ls o , w he th e r y o u s p eak o r w rit e y o ur m essa g e, c o nsid er t h e c u lt u ra l c o n te xt . If t h e re 's p ote ntia l f o r m is c o m munic a tio n o r m is u nd ers ta n d in g d ue t o c u lt u ra l o r la n g uag e b arrie rs , a d dre ss t h e se is su e s in a d va n ce . C onsu lt w it h p eo ple w ho a re f a m ilia r w it h t h e se , a n d d o y o ur r e se arc h s o t h at y o u'r e a w are o f p ro b le m s y o u m ay f a ce . S ee o ur a rtic le o n E ffe ctiv e C ro ss- C ult u re C om munic a tio n f o r m ore h e lp . C hoosin g t h e R ig ht C han nel ( Q ue stio ns 7 , 1 1, 1 3 ) Y our s c o re is 1 3 o ut o f 1 5 A lo ng w it h e nco d in g t h e m essa g e, y o u n e ed t o c h o ose t h e b est c o m munic a tio n c h an ne l t o u se t o s e nd it . Y ou w an t t o b e e ffic ie nt, a n d y e t m ake t h e m ost o f y o ur c o m munic a tio n o pportu nit y .
U sin g e m ail t o s e nd s im ple d ir e ctio ns is p ra ctic a l. H ow eve r, if y o u w an t t o d ele g ate a c o m ple x t a sk , a n e m ail w ill p ro b ab ly ju st le ad t o m ore q ue stio ns, s o it m ay b e b est t o a rra n g e a t im e t o s p eak in p ers o n. A nd if y o ur c o m munic a tio n h as a n y n e g ativ e e m otio nal c o nte nt, s ta y w ell a w ay f r o m e m ail! M ake s u re t h at y o u c o m munic a te f a ce t o f a ce o r b y p ho ne , s o t h at y o u c a n j u d ge t h e im pact o f y o ur w ord s a n d a d ju st t h e se a p pro pria te ly .
W he n y o u d ete rm in e t h e b est w ay t o s e nd a m essa g e, c o nsid er t h e f o llo w in g : T he s e nsit iv it y a n d e m otio nal c o nte nt o f t h e s u b je ct.
H ow e asy it is t o c o m munic a te d eta il.
T he r e ce iv e r's p re fe re nce s.
T im e c o nstr a in ts .
T he n e ed t o a sk a n d a n sw er q ue stio ns. D eco d in g – R ece iv in g a n d I n te rp re tin g a M essa g e ( Q ue stio ns 3 , 6 , 1 2 , 1 4 ) Y our s c o re is 1 5 o ut o f 2 0 I t c a n b e e asy t o f o cu s o n s p eakin g ; w e w an t t o g et o ur p oin ts o ut t h e re , b eca u se w e u su ally h ave lo ts t o s a y. H ow eve r, t o b e a g re at c o m munic a to r, y o u a ls o n e ed t o s te p b ack , le t t h e 4 /1 1 /2 017 H ow G ood A re Y our C om munic atio n S kills ? fr o m M in dT ools .c om h ttp s://w ww.m in dto ols .c om /p ages/a rtic le /n ew CS_99.h tm 7 /9 o th e r p ers o n t a lk , a n d ju st lis te n.
T his d oesn 't m ean t h at y o u s h o uld b e p assiv e . L is te nin g is h ard w ork , w hic h is w hy e ffe ctiv e l is te nin g is c a lle d a ctiv e lis te n in g . T o lis te n a ctiv e ly , g iv e y o ur u nd iv id ed a tte ntio n t o t h e s p eake r: L o ok a t t h e p ers o n.
P ay a tte ntio n t o h is o r h e r b od y la n g uag e.
A vo id d is tr a ctio ns.
N od a n d s m ile t o a ck n o w le d ge p oin ts .
O cca sio nally t h in k b ack a b out w hat t h e p ers o n h as s a id .
A llo w t h e p ers o n t o s p eak, w it h o ut t h in kin g a b out w hat y o u'l l s a y n e xt.
D on't in te rru p t. E m path ic lis te n in g a ls o h e lp s y o u d eco d e a m essa g e a ccu ra te ly . T o u nd ers ta n d a m ess a g e f u lly , y o u h ave t o u nd ers ta n d t h e e m otio ns a n d u nd erly in g f e elin g s t h e s p eake r is e xp re ss in g .
T his is w he re a n u nd ers ta n d in g o f b od y la n g uag e c a n b e u se fu l. F eed back ( Q ue stio ns 4 , 9 ) Y our s c o re is 7 o ut o f 1 0 Y ou n e ed f e ed back , b eca u se w it h o ut it , y o u c a n 't b e s u re t h at p eo ple h ave u nd ers to od y o ur m essa g e. S om etim es f e ed back is v e rb al, a n d s o m etim es it 's n o t. W e'v e lo oke d a t t h e i m porta n ce o f a sk in g q ue stio ns a n d lis te nin g c a re fu lly . H ow eve r, f e ed back t h ro ug h b od y l a n g uag e is p erh ap s t h e m ost im porta n t s o urc e o f c lu e s t o t h e e ffe ctiv e ne ss o f y o ur c o m munic a tio n. B y w atc h in g t h e f a cia l e xp re ssio ns, g estu re s, a n d p ostu re o f t h e p ers o n y o u'r e c o m munic a tin g w it h , y o u c a n s p ot: C onfid ence le ve ls .
D efe nsiv e ne ss.
A gre em ent.
C om pre he nsio n (o r la ck o f u nd ers ta n d in g ).
L e ve l o f in te re st.
L e ve l o f e ng ag em ent w it h t h e m essa g e. 4 /1 1 /2 017 H ow G ood A re Y our C om munic atio n S kills ? fr o m M in dT ools .c om h ttp s://w ww.m in dto ols .c om /p ages/a rtic le /n ew CS_99.h tm 8 /9 © M in d T ools L td , 1 9 96-2 0 17 . A ll r ig hts r e se rv e d . " M in d T ools " is a r e g is te re d t r a d em ark o f M in d T ools L td . C lic k h ere f o r p erm is sio n s in fo rm atio n . T ru th fu ln e ss (o r ly in g /d is h o ne sty ). A s a s p eake r, u nd ers ta n d in g y o ur lis te ne r's b od y la n g uag e c a n g iv e y o u a n o pportu nit y t o a d ju st y o ur m essa g e a n d m ake it m ore u nd ers ta n d ab le , a p pealin g , o r in te re stin g . A s a lis te ne r, b od y la n g uag e c a n s h o w y o u m ore a b out w hat t h e o th e r p ers o n is s a yin g . Y ou c a n t h e n a sk q ue stio ns t o e nsu re t h at y o u h ave , in d eed , u nd ers to od e ach o th e r. In b oth s it u atio ns, y o u c a n b ette r a vo id m is c o m munic a tio n if it h ap pens.
F e ed back c a n a ls o b e f o rm al. If y o u'r e c o m munic a tin g s o m eth in g r e ally im porta n t, it c a n o ft e n b e w orth a sk in g q ue stio ns o f t h e p ers o n y o u'r e t a lk in g t o m ake s u re t h at t h e y'v e u nd ers to od f u lly . A nd if y o u'r e r e ce iv in g t h is s o rt o f c o m munic a tio n, r e p eat it in y o ur o w n w ord s t o c h e ck y o ur u nd ers ta n d in g .
K ey P oin ts I t c a n t a ke a lo t o f e ffo rt t o c o m munic a te e ffe ctiv e ly . H ow eve r, y o u n e ed t o b e a b le t o c o m munic a te w ell if y o u'r e g oin g t o m ake t h e m ost o f t h e o pportu nit ie s t h at lif e h as t o o ffe r.
B y le arn in g t h e s k ills y o u n e ed t o c o m munic a te e ffe ctiv e ly , y o u c a n le arn h o w t o c o m munic a te y o ur id eas c le arly a n d e ffe ctiv e ly , a n d u nd ers ta n d m uch m ore o f t h e in fo rm atio n t h at's c o nve ye d t o y o u.
A s e it h e r a s p eake r o r a lis te ne r, o r a s a w rit e r o r a r e ad er, y o u'r e r e sp onsib le f o r m akin g s u re t h at t h e m essa g e is c o m munic a te d a ccu ra te ly . P ay a tte ntio n t o w ord s a n d a ctio ns, a sk q ue stio ns, a n d w atc h b od y la n g uag e. T he se w ill a ll h e lp y o u e nsu re t h at y o u s a y w hat y o u m ean , a n d h e ar w hat is in te nd ed .
T his s it e t e ach e s y o u t h e s k ills y o u n e ed f o r a h ap py a n d s u cce ssfu l c a re er; a n d t h is is ju st o ne o f m an y t o ols a n d r e so urc e s t h at y o u'l l f in d h e re a t M in d T o ols . S ub sc rib e t o o ur f r e e n ew sle tte r , o r j o in t h e M in d T ools C lu b a n d r e ally s u p erc h arg e y o ur c a re e r! R ate t h is r e so urc e J o in t h e M in d T ools C lu b S ig n u p f o r o u r F R EE n ew sle tte r 4 /1 1 /2 017 H ow G ood A re Y our C om munic atio n S kills ? fr o m M in dT ools .c om h ttp s://w ww.m in dto ols .c om /p ages/a rtic le /n ew CS_99.h tm 9 /9
